At Least 44 Dead, Over 200 Injured In Suicide Bombing At Political Rally In Northwest Pakistan

A suicide bombing at a political gathering of a leading Islamic party in northwest Pakistan took place on Sunday, resulting in the death of at least 44 people and leaving over 200 injured.

The target of the explosion was the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) party, which is a part of the government coalition and led by an influential Islamic cleric.

The incident occurred in the town of Khar, near the Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, where hundreds of party supporters had gathered under a canopy.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat Khan confirmed that the blast was a suicide attack, Geo News reported.

He added that 10kg of explosives were used in the blast and ball bearings were found from the crime scene.

The explosion reportedly took place at around 4 pm as Maulana Laeeq was addressing the convention, according to JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Abdul Jalil Khan.

The provincial spokesperson said that JUI-F MNA Maulana Jamaluddin and Senator Abdul Rasheed were also present during the convention.

He confirmed that one of the dead includes JUI-F’s Tehsil Khar Amir Maulana Ziaullah.

Pakistan's national assembly is due to dissolve in the next few weeks ahead of elections expected in October or November, and political parties are already preparing to campaign.

The blast coincides with a visit to the country by a senior delegation of Chinese officials, including Vice Premier He Lifeng, who arrived in the capital Sunday evening, reports AFP.